I Dreamt About You
by traceycb
Summary: Modern Day AU: Rose lives with Joy, Carol, and Grace, her adoptive mothers, in small-town Illinois. That is until a boy shows up claiming to be a prince from another realm.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: Hi! So this is my first fic! I hope you guys like it! Please feel free to leave reviews and tell me what you think!**

 **Chapter One**

I was back in my castle, my forest castle. I walked around the hallways where the walls were stone bricks and the ground was grass. In the grass there are a mix of gold and white wildflowers and the walls had moss and ivy growing up them. Every couple of feet there were aspen trees, reaching all the way to the ceiling. Their leaves were golden, like the wildflowers.

I walked through my castle until I came to a door. The door was as tall as the ceiling and was a dark wood. There were golden accents to the door and veins of ivy running through it. I reached up to the door and tried to push it open but it would not budge. None of the doors opened in my forest castle.

There was never anyone else in my castle; there were the occasional butterflies and birds of that were shades of blue, red, and green, but never any other sign of animals or people.

I turned away from the kept walking down a different hallway. I decided to run, I don't know why. What was I running from? Or running to? I kept running. Turn after turn and doorway after doorway I kept running. I turn a corner and there was a dead end. I sit against the wall and wait. I see a butterfly fly towards me and land softly on my knee.

I woke up in my room. The sun was just coming up and filling my room with an amber light. The light lit up my walls, which are covered in a soft floral wallpaper that has begun to fade since it had been there for as long as I could remember. I sat up in my bed. I loved my bed. It's a queen-sized bed with a white metal frame. My sheets are a light pink and incredibly soft. My comforter is white, with little fabric flowers sewn into it. I picked it out for my thirteenth birthday at a shop down the street.

I looked around my room. It has stayed the same since I was little, except the change from a cradle to a twin sized bed to my current bed. All the furniture is wooden and painted white, you could see the wood peaking through where the paint has chipped over the years. The floors are wooden, as are all the floors in the apartment.

I live above a bakery that my mom had owned with her three friends. I've lived here my entire life. The mornings always smell of cinnamon and the days smell of the various breads that would be sold the next day. My room is at the front of the building, so I have a windowsill that I could sit on and the watch people walk around on Main Street. We live in a small town in Illinois, with Main Street being the center of it.

Main Street is lined on both sides with shops just like ours, their fronts ranging in all colors of the rainbow, but they were faded, as they have not been repainted in decades. They sold things from clothes to candles to candy and most everything in-between. Most of the shopkeepers were old and didn't have any kids so I never really had anyone to socialize with.

I was homeschooled by Carol, my mother's friend. Carol was never much good at baking, so she spent most of her time chatting with customers or teaching me. Joy and Grace were the bakers. They were also my mother's friends. My mother died when I was born, my father before then, he was a soldier for the army. Grace, Carol, and Joy raised me, as was my mother's wish. They tell me I look more like her everyday, but I don't have any pictures of her or my father, and no one likes to talk about them. I used to ask more as a child, but I've given up on that now.

I got out of bed and went to the bathroom. The lights are still on, I must've forgotten to turn them off last night. I turned on the shower to the hottest setting, as it is the only way to get the water warm. I undress and check the water.

"Ow!"

Well, it's definitely hot. I turn down the heat and get into the shower. I stand there for a while just letting the water wake me up. I wash my long blonde hair. When I was little, Grace would sit and brush my hair while Carol read stories to Joy and me. Joy never lost her childhood excitement. My favorite stories were the fairy tales about princesses in far off places.

I finish up my shower and dried myself off. I stepped back into my room and grabbed my phone to check the weather. Today looks to be in the mid 70's. It's summer now. Illinois summers vary. Some years they are just rainy, some are extremely hot, some are colder, and some are mild, such as this one.

I look into my closet and grab a sundress that Grace got me last summer from one of the boutiques a few shops down. It is a pretty tan color with pink flowers. Joy got me one similar, except the flowers are blue. They always seem to get me the same things but in different colors.

When I'm dressed I quickly brush my hair and head downstairs. The regular morning rush is going on. My town is a magnet for tourists, so during the summers we are always busy with people wanting to visit our quaint little town.

I slip by Grace and Carol and grab a blueberry muffin and a bottle of fresh pressed juice we get from a store down the street. Carol is too busy chatting away with customers and Grace is busy icing some cinnamon rolls, but they both tell me good morning and Grace compliments me on my dress choice. I pop my head in the back where Joy is rolling out some dough and to tell her good morning. She says hello without looking up. I go and sit down at one of the metal tables in the back.

The shop is like a dollhouse. The room is a long rectangle with tall ceilings. The walls are a light purple with some areas chipped to show older layers of white and blue paint. The molding is white and matched the furniture that lines the side of the room. The tables and chairs are metal and painted white, like the ones you find on patios. Each table has a floral tablecloth, a stack of napkins, and a vase with fake flowers in it. On the other side of the room is the counter top and display area behind which Joy and Grace work their magic. A wall that doesn't quite reach the top of the ceiling, behind which the real baking takes place, cuts off the back of the room. There is a spiral staircase leading up to our living area in back of the room by the tables; as a little girl I would sit on the stairs and watch the people in the store.

I sit and eat my breakfast and think about what I should do with my day. I watch Carol help people decide what to get, usually persuading them to the more expensive pastries. Carol is tall, nearly six feet. She has brown hair that she likes to keep in a loose bun held up by a pencil. She is thin, aged; she looks like a mother, although none of them had children of their own. When Carol would home school me, she tended to teach me more literature and music. She encouraged me to sing around the house, she used to make me sing in front of customers, people would tell me they loved my voice, but now I mainly sing when I'm alone. She also taught me a love of reading, instead of watching movies I read books.

After I finished my muffin I went up stairs to grab my bag. I shoved my new book, a couple of granola bars, and a water bottle into it and slung it onto my shoulders. I bound down the stairs again, yelled goodbye to Joy, Grace, and Carol.

Outside I unchain my bike and begin riding down toward the forest. The part of Illinois I live in is very hilly, so biking is quite the workout, but I am used to it now. After you leave Main Street you have to go through all the houses of the town, which isn't many considering only 3,000 people live here. When I reach the edge of the forest I find my trail and head down it towards the waterfall.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: I know these chapters are short. I'm sorry! But that's the way they have worked out; maybe they will be longer in the future!**

 **Chapter Two**

I found this place when I was around 11, when Joy, Carol, and Grace started letting me bike around town by myself. I kept to Main St. at first, and then I ventured out to the town, and one time I noticed a break in the trees in the forest. I kept along the path, sometime having to swat away branches that overgrew across the path. I found a small clearing in the forest, with a small waterfall. The waterfall was no more than 15 feet tall and was easily hidden by the trees around it. I could easily get up to the top by rock climbing up next to the waterfall.

Not long after I found the waterfall did I buy a small hammock with my money that I saved up from my allowance and set it up between two trees at the top of the waterfall. It is quite worn now, over 5 years later. There are areas that have been re-tied together after the rope snapped and areas where there are wilted flowers twisted into the ropes from when I would pick the flowers around the waterfall. There are even areas stained different colors from when I was younger and tried to drink juice on it, though those are very faded now. It is my favorite place to be in the entire world, besides being with my moms, but this was all my own. I have never brought anyone else here; it was my secret hide away.

Whenever it got too cold outside for me to come to my secret waterfall I would roll up the hammock and hide it in a shoebox in my closet. It was always hard in the winter when I couldn't get away from my moms. Don't get me wrong, I love them with all my heart, but since I am homeschooled and we live where they work, it was basically 24/7 with them, and man did I want some alone time. I would make do with sitting on my windowsill in my room to read, but even then I could hear Grace and Joy bickering. I have no idea how they spend so much time together, and how Carol keeps her head on strait between them.

Whenever it got warm enough in the spring I would put my hammock in my backpack and head back to the waterfall as fast as I could. I love this place in the spring the most. There are flowers everywhere just blooming and the trees are budding and growing leaves and flowers of all colors. The colors in the forest in the spring are gorgeous. In the fall also, with all the leaves turning different shades of red and yellow and the smell of the warmth of the summer fading. But now it is summer, everything is in full growth and green. The waterfall is also at a nice steady pace, during spring and fall it tends to be stronger due to all the rain, but now it bubbles along softly. Where I set up the hammock sits right under a good cover of foliage, so I don't have to worry too much about sunburn sitting under the shade, ever though some rays of sun filter through.

I made it to the clearing and set my bike against the cliff. I started climbing up the rock, trying to be careful because I was wearing a dress. I tried not to rip many of my clothes because when I would give them to Joy to mend, it always brought up questions about where I went, and I don't want to tell them about my hideaway. I made it too the top and quickly stepped across the stream using a couple of rocks that sat above the water. I went over to the hammock and set down my backpack. I reached down and grabbed the sharpie out of my bag. I had just finished a book the day before so I took my sharpie out of the bag and went to my hammock.

 _Jane & Edward_

I wrote into one of the wooden sticks at the end of the hammock. Every time I finished a book with a romance, I write the two characters names into the wood. There are many names on the wood, most of which are too faded to read. I write them down as a way of honoring their love. I'm a sap for all that romance stuff, I always have been. There is something about true love that I am enraptured with even though I've never had anything close.

There were boys that I had fleeting relationships with. Two actually. A boy from town a year ago, when I just turned 15, Jake. We dated for about 2 months, but we broke up when he went back to high school and decided he wanted to ask out a girl there that he saw more often. I didn't blame him, we didn't see each other much once school started because he went to the local high school and I was homeschooled, but I did cry. There was also a boy that I dated when I was 14, Daniel. Him and his family were vacationing here all summer and we met and dated while he was here, but that also ended when he went back home. I never went farther than kissing with them, I mean, we were barely teenagers. I think that is another reason Jake left me, because I wasn't comfortable going farther. But I don't regret my decisions to keep my distance in that way, seeing as neither relationship worked out and neither were anywhere close to true love.

After I wrote the names of Jane and Edward from _Jane Eyre_ , I grabbed my new book that I just rented from the library, _The Tales of the Brothers Grimm_. I laid down on the hammock and started reading. I read until maybe 1 PM needed lunch and knowing I had errands to run for Joy, Carol, and Grace before dinner. I packed up my book and empty juice bottle and granola wrappers and crossed over the river again, and carefully made my way down the rock. I got back on my bike and went back to town.

 _That's when I saw her. I knew it was her as soon as I laid eyes on her. She was on sort of wagon, with only two wheels. Strange. She was beautiful, more than I could have ever imagined. I called after her. "Aurora!" I yelled, but she did not respond. I tried to run after her, but she was too quick on her two-wheeled wagon. I wished I had Samson with me; she wouldn't have gotten away then. I needed to speak with her; she had to come back with me within the week. I decided to wait until the next day, knowing I couldn't possibly be able to traverse this new realm. I walked back to the forest that she emerged from and hoped she would come back the next day._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

When I got back home I parked and locked up my bike and went inside through the back door. It was near 4 pm so the shop was empty, with the lunch rush gone. When I walked in, all three of my moms were in the back room as well, huddled in a circle and whispering to each other. When they heard the back door swing shut they jumped.

Joy started. "Rose! You're back! We weren't- would you go to the front and watch the store for a moment? We need to..."

"We need to get the menu for next week figured out!" interrupted Carol.

"Yeah... We need to do... that?" Grace said, knowing the excuse was lame.

I knew what they were doing. My birthday was in three days. I would be turning 16 and I know my moms would be planning a surprise for it. I don't mind. They've fussed over my birthday every year.

"Sure I'd love to" I said with a smile, deciding to let them continue with their secrecy.

I went and sat behind the counter and pulled out my book again while I waited for them to be done. The store would be closing in an hour anyways. I waited about twenty minutes before they came out of the back room. Carol and Joy were smiling but I could see a worried look on Grace's face before she started smiling also.

"Thank you Rose dear, you can head upstairs now. Would you mind checking the crock-pot for me? I've had a roast in there all day for tonight." Stated Joy.

"Yeah, sounds good!" I said before I hoped off the stool and went upstairs, pushing down the odd feeling I got from Grace's worried look and my moms' secrecy. It must just be a complication with whatever they planning, I said to myself.

When I made it upstairs I was instantly overcome with a delicious smell from the kitchen. I went over to the island and looked into the crock-pot. The roast looked amazing and I couldn't wait for dinner once the bakery closed and cleaned. I decided to clean my room while I waited.

When the clock struck five I went back down into the shop to help my moms clean up and prepare for the next day. I cleaned up the tables and took out the trash to the dumpster behind the building. Afterwards I went to the back room and mopped the floor free from all the flour and other stuff that gathered there throughout the day and then went to sweep and mop the front room. These were my usual chores after the shop closed, and by the time I finished, my moms were done with their chores also. We have a nice system worked out after all the years of working the little bakery.

We went back upstairs and Joy got the roast ready while Grace and I got the table ready and Carol got the rest of the food ready. Once the table was set and the food brought over, we sat around and ate and told stories about our days, Joy, Grace, and Carol would talk about funny stories about customers from the day and I would tell them about my books or about what I saw on her bike rides about the town.

I love the comfortable rhythm we have gotten into during the summers. During the school year I would spend my days being home schooled by my moms as they took turns so two of them were always running the shop. I love the lazy schedule of summer and my ability to go to my secret forest whenever I please.

After dinner we say in the living room, Joy knitting, Grace playing with my hair as she and Carol watched a documentary on forest animals. I always loved animals and wished we could've gotten a pet. We've had the odd bird or fish or gerbil, but no dogs or cats. Pet hair and the food industry just don't mix, but I wish anyways. Sometimes I would go to the local pet store and play with the animals there.

Joy went to bed early and Grace soon followed. Carol stayed out with me until the end of the documentary. When it was over we folded up the blanket and put it in the chest behind the couch. I hugged and kissed Carol goodnight. As I passed my moms' room I stuck my head in and whispered goodnight to Grace and Joy. I then went into my own room and got ready for bed. I turned off the lights and settled into bed, falling asleep almost instantly as the documentary made me sleepy.

I was in my castle again...

I began walking through the hallways the way I always had. Nothing had changed, as usual. I walked for a while. Then I turned a corner.

What?

There was a figure in the middle of the hallway about 30 feet ahead of me. I can't see his face because his back is to me. I gasped out of surprise. He heard me and started turning around. I quickly hid behind the wall. He must have seen me because I can hear his footsteps coming closer.

What was someone doing in my castle? Why was someone in my castle? I didn't have much time to think before he got closer.

I should run. Why aren't I running? I am frozen against the wall. I could hear his footsteps almost upon the corner.

Surprisingly I'm not afraid. He made it past the corner and I wasn't afraid of him. He turned and looked at me with the same surprised face I know I must be wearing. He was about a half a foot taller than me. His hair was brown like his eyes. He was very handsome, like out of a magazine handsome. He was eyeing me in the same way I was eyeing him. I reached out to touch him. He couldn't be real. How could he? No one had ever been in my castle before.

When I reached out my hand he did the same. Our hands met in the middle…

I woke with a start.

"Who was that?"

After I woke up from my dream I couldn't fall back asleep. I knew it wasn't real- that he wasn't real- but I am still confused. Not often did my dreams vary, and when they did they were set in other places than my castle, like a place from one of my books, but as far as I could remember never before was my castle different, with another person no less. I should have been afraid, but I wasn't. If anything I was just confused and curious. He obviously couldn't be real, but why did my dream come up with him?

I sat up in bed and turned on my side table lamp. I got up and went over to my sewing box I kept in my closet. I pulled out a long strip of pale blue fabric I had left over from an old pillow case project I had. I went to my side table and pulled out an ink pen and started writing a description of what the boy from my dream looked like on the fabric.

 _"Boy, about my age, about 5'11". Brown hair, medium length, pushed back._

 _Brown eyes- very pretty. Tanned skin. Dressed like someone from the Middle Ages (?)_

 _Might be the most beautiful person I've ever seen."_

I finished writing and went to put the fabric in my backpack for later. I looked out the window and saw that it was beginning to get light outside, so abandoning the thought of getting any more sleep I got out of bed. I went to the bathroom and got ready for the day.

I came downstairs around 7:00 dressed in a tan chiffon mid length skirt I had gotten the other week, a white cropped tank top and a black cardigan, because it was still a bit chilly because of the early hour, and a black belt with black flats.

"You're up early" stated Grace when she saw I was behind the counter pouring myself a cup of coffee.

"Yeah, had a weird dream" I said as I put two teaspoons of sugar in my drink.

"What about?" Carol chimed in, quickly sharing a look with Grace.

"Nothing really" I didn't feel like getting into it. I just wanted to go to my secret place and forget about it.

I grabbed a croissant and a banana and decided to eat on a bench outside to avoid further inquiry from my moms. Why have they been acting so weird lately? Did they really think my turning 16 was such a big deal? Nothing would be changing? Sure, I would be getting a license soon, but where would I even go with that? Maybe they were worried I was going to take off and never come back. I figured that must be it as I finished my breakfast.

When I got back inside I noticed that none of my moms were up front. I quickly took care of the two confused customers that were waiting and went to the back room to look for them. On my way I grabbed my backpack from the stairs and put an apple and a water bottle in it. When I stepped into the back room I saw that my moms were huddled up like they had been the day before when I came home. They didn't hear me enter.

"What could this mean?" Joy whispered.

"It must have to do with her birthday? Right?" whispered Carol.

"What do we do?" said Grace.

I decided to alert them of my presence.

"Hello? Why is no one taking care of customers? It is morning rush hour ya know?"

They all jumped and Grace gave out a little yelp.

"Rose, honey, we were just, um, uh..." said Joy rapidly.

"Guys I know you were talking about me." I stated.

Carol jumped in "What? No we were just-"

I cut her off.

"And I know that your worried about me turning 16, but you don't have to! I'm not going anywhere!" I reassured.

As my moms stood there in stunned silence I gave them each a hug as I moved to the back door. As I was stepping out I turned back and saw they were watching me.

"And get back to work!" I yelled as I left.

I got on my bike and started to head to my secret place. Today was turning out to be one of the strangest that I could remember.


End file.
